Walking stick for fastening tool



Sept. 13, 1966 A. LANGAS WALKING STICK FOR FASTENING TOOL Filed Oct. 21, 1965 Sept. 13, 1966 A. LANG-AS WALKING STICK FOR FASTENING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 21, 1963 United States Patent 3,272,267 WALKING STICK FOR FASTENING T001.

' Arthur Laugas, Chicago, 111., assignor to Signode Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 317,701 2 Claims. (Cl. 173170) trolled and the trigger is usually located in the handle of I the tool for ease of operation. The tools are very compact and relatively light in weight so that they are portable and can be conveniently transported by the operator.

Where such tools are used in nailing flooring or other types of construction work wherein the tool is continuously moved along, it would be extremely desirable from the human engineering standpoint for the operator to be able to control the tool from an upright position. Such an arrangement would obviously reduce the fatigue involved in operating the tool since the operator would not then be required to move along on his knees or in some other uncomfortable position, which would be very tiresome.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a novel control mechanism, which in combination with a valve located in a cap of the tool can be used to operate the tool from a standing position when the tool is brought into contact with the work piece into which a fastener is to be driven. The novel control mechanism or walking stick attachment is designed so that when the tool is placed in contact with the work, a slight movement thereof will fire the tool. The basic tool need not be changed, since all that is required is that a supplemental valve be added near the top of the tool or some other convenient place. The added valve which becomes the control for the tool is operated by the reciprocal movement of the operating mechanism controlled by the operator to fire the tool. The application of the novel remote control mechanism does not effect the operation of the basic tool and thus if it is desired to fire the tool in a conventional manner by using the trigger, this mode of operation is still available to the operator.

Other advantages of the tool will be apparent from the attached drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of applicants invention and, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view showing the tool being controlled -by an operator standing in an upright position;

I ative to the tool cap.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated a tool being operated in accordance with the present invention as it is positioned when used to drive nails into flooring. The construction worker performing this job is shown standing in an upright position with his hands gripping the handle portion of the operating mechanism. The driving tool pictured is a pneumatic nailer, but this representation is merely exemplary of a family of pneumatic fastening tools to which the instant invention can be applied.

The pneumatic fastening tool disclosed is shown in some detail in FIGURE 2, and with the exception of the modified cap secured thereto is generally of the type described in United States Patent No. 3,106,136, granted on October 8, 1963, to Arthur Langas and Harrison C. Lingle, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The details of this tool are clearly set forth in said patent, and only such portions of the tool will be described in the instant application as is necessary to understand the present invention.

Briefiy, the tool 1 includes a hollow handle portion 2 int-o which air under pressure is supplied through a conduit 3. The reservoir 4 located within the hollow handle 2 is in direct communication with the underside of a diaphragm assembly 6 that acts to close the open end of a cylinder 7. Located within the cylinder 7 is a driving piston 8 and interconnected driver blade 9. When the piston 8 is exposed to the air from reservoir 4, it is moved in a downward direction to drive the blade 9 into engagement with a nail 11 located in the nose 12 of the tool 1. The nail 11 is the end nail of an adhered strip of nails located in a magazine 13 secured to the tool 1. The high impact forces exerted against the piston 8 move the driver 9 against the nail 11 to drive the nail into the members to be joined.

When used as a portable hand tool, the operation thereof was determined by a valve 14 which was controlled by a trigger 15 located on the underside of the handle 2 adjacent the juncture of the handle and the nose portion of the tool.

Prior to the trigger being pulled, the valve 14 is positioned to admit air from the reservoir 4 into the conduit 16 that communicates with the chamber 17 located above the diaphragm 6. This results in air pressure being exerted on the upper surface of the diaphragm 6, the area of which was larger than that located outwardly of the cylinder 7, with the resultant unbalanced force acting to retain the diaphragm seated on cylinder 7. When the trigger 15 was pulled the conduit 16 was closed off from reservoir 4 and opened to atmosphere whereby chamber 17 above diaphragm 6 was vented. This series of steps created an unbalanced condition whereby the fluid under pressure in reservoir 4 acting on the underside of diaphragm 6 moved diaphragm 6 away from cylinder 7 and exposed piston 8 to the air under pressure in reservoir 4. The explosive force acting on piston 8 moved it and blade 9 downwardly at a rapid rate to drive a nail into the members to be joined.

This method of operation could still be practiced when incorporating the present invention, since as will be set forth more clearly hereinafter, conduit 16 is still in communication with chamber 17 prior to the operation of the tool whether thetool is fired by use of the trigger, or the handle operating mechanism hereinafter described. Thus, notwithstanding the modifying of the tool to incorporate the present invention, the tool can be operated, if desired, as a trigger-controlled portable fastening tool. However, if this dual operation was not required, the valve 14 and trigger 15 could be eliminated and conduit 16 placed in direct communication with reservoir 4.

Turning now to the present invention, there is provided a remote control mechanism, or walking stick, that permits the operator to fire the tool from an upright position. Generally speaking, this is accomplished by providing an elongated actuating handle assembly 23 that extends upwardly from the tool to where the operator can com- 3 fortably reach it while standing, as shown in FIGURE 1.

To effectuate this remote method of operation, there is incorporated within the handle an actuating mechanism which takes the place or acts in the same manner as the trigger 15. That is to say, there is a valve and control assembly provided for regulating the flow of air into and out of chamber 17, which in turn determines the firing sequence of the tool.

One way of accomplishing the above is to provide the cap 22 of the tool with a valve 18 that is similar in structure and method of operation to valve 14. The valve 18 is interposed between conduit 16 and chamber 17 and functions to control the operation of diaphragm 6 in exactly the same manner as previously described when discussing valve 14. The valve 18, as shown in FIGURE 3, is identical to valve 14, but is turned around sothat it will be operated by a downward pressure, rather than by the upward pressure exerted by the trigger 15.

The valve 18 is positioned so that conduit 16 is in communication with chamber 17 through passageway 24, port 26, and passageway 27 in cap 22 prior to operation or actuation of valve 18. While a valve of the type herein used is disclosed in detail in aforementioned Patent No. 3,106,136 and was previously referred to herein, it is believed that a brief review of the operation of this valve is in order.

Valve 18 includes a housing 31 within which there is formed a recess 32 containing a spring 33 that acts against plate 34 to normally bias valve 36 out of engagement with seat 37 to permit communication between passageway 24 in cap 22 and port 26 in housing 31. Port 26 in turn communicates with chamber 17 through passageway 27. Thus, prior to actuating valve 18, air under pressure is free to flow from reservoir 4 through conduit 16 into chamber 17. As indicated previously, valve 14 is normally positioned to permit the flow of air from reservoir 4 into conduit 16. Accordingly, prior to the actuation of either trigger or handle 23, chamber 17 will be filled with air under pressure and diaphragm 6 will be positively seated against cylinder 7.

The handle assembly 23, to be described in detail hereinafter, is positioned to engage button 38 when moved in a downward direction. Inward movement of button 38, which is operatively connected to valve 36, moves valve 36 into engagement with valve seat 37 to close ofi the flow of air between conduit 16 and chamber 17 by closing off port 26 from passageway 24. Further movement of button 38 moves valve stem 36 and sleeve 40, which defines valve seat 37, away from upper valve seat 41 surrounding passageway 42. Passageway 42 is in communication with passage 43 leading to vent 44, which places port 26 in communication with passageway 42 to vent the air under pressure in chamber 17. It remains to note that valve 18 along with valve 14 is a cycling valve, which means that it is designed to automatically return to its starting position after the aforementioned method of operation is completed, whereby fluid will again be admitted to the upper side of the diaphragm to close cylinder 7 and permit piston 8 to be returned to its driving position. This method of operation eliminates the need for the operator to lift the tool from the work in order to drive a subsequent fastener. Obviously, the invention is not limited to use with a cycling valve.

Thus, it can be seen that the operation of valve 18, through movement of button 38, will effect firing of the tool by venting chamber 17, which permits the air acting on the underside of diaphragm 6 to raise the diaphragm and act against the upper side of piston 8.

The handle assembly 23, which enables the operator to fire the tool from the upright position, includes an outer sleeve 50 that is slidably fitted into the upwardly extending boss 21 of cap 22. The sleeve 50 is long enough to extend from the tool to where the operators arms can reach a cross piece secured to the upper end of the handle without stooping.

As shown in FIGURE 6, the boss 21 is split at 52 to permit insertion of the tube 50. The boss 21 is then clamped to retain the tube in place in the cap by a bolt and nut assembly 55", 56, respectively, extending through the boss at one side thereof.

Disposed within tube 50 is an inner tube 58 which is slidably supported relative to tube 50 by a pair of longitudinally spaced bushings 59, 60. Secured within the lower portion of tube 58 is a bumper 61 adapted to engage button 38 to actuate the valve 18 and fire the tool when tube 58 is moved downwardly relative to tube 50. The position of the bumper relative to the end of the tube is adjusted by adjustable screw 62 threaded into the inner end of tube 58. The screw 62 is positioned so that in the inoperative position the bumper is spaced approximately inch from the valve button 38.

The tube 58 and bumper 61 are normally biased out of engagement with button 38 by a compression spring 65 located within the annular chamber 66 formed between the outer wall of tube 58 and the inner wall of tube 50. The spring is located between the upper surface of bushing and the lower surface of a pin 67 extending transversely through aligned openings 70, 71 in tube 58.

The upward movement of tube 58 is limited by a pin 73 which extends in a transverse direction through aligned openings in sleeve 58 and bushing 60, and aligned elongated slots 76 in tube 58. The length of the slots 76 determines the travel of tube 58 relative to tube 50. Thus, the inner tube 58 will be moved upwardly until the bottom of slots 76 comes into contact with pin 73, and the downward movement of tube 58 will be limited by the engagement of pin 73 with the upper end of slots 76.

Connected to the upper end of tube 58 by a pin 80 is a transversely extending handle member or cross piece 81. The handle 81 is long enough to provide room for the operator to grip it on both sides of tube 50.

Thus, it can be seen that the tool can be operated by an operator standing in an upright position by merely placing the nose of the tool into engagement with the work to be fastened and moving the cross piece 81 and tube 58 downwardly against the action of spring to move bumper 61 into engagement with button 38 to position valve 18 to fire the tool.

It can be appreciated that other modifications can be employed and that the invention is not limited to the particular details of the control valve or the tool, since it is only necessary that there be provided a mechanism which can be operated by longitudinal movement of an operating mechanism readily accessible to an operator standing in an upright position.

It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A walking stick for a fastening tool whereby the valve controlling the operation of the tool can be operated from a remote position, said walking stick ineluding a first tube secured to the tool, a second tube slidably mounted within said first tube, bushings spacing said second tube from the wall thereof to define an annular chamber, said second tube defining a pair of aligned elongated slots, first pin means extending through aligned openings defined by said first tube and said elongated slots for limiting the longitudinal movement of the second tube relative to said first tube, second pin means longitudinally spaced from said first pin means and extending through aligned openings in said second tube, spring means disposed in the annular chamber and in engagement with said second pin means to bias said second tube out of engagement with said valve, bumper means adjustably mounted in the end of said second tube and adapted to engage said valve, and a transversely extending handle secured to the upper portion of said second tube whereby the walking stick can be gripped and operated by an operator standing in an upright position.

2. A walking stick for a fastening tool whereby the tool can be operated from a remote position, the fastening tool including a driver blade, a cylinder housing said driver blade, a cap on one end of said cylinder, a boss extending outwardly from said cap, a valve and actuator therefor in said boss for controlling the operation of said tool, said walking stick including a first tube secured to the boss, a second tube slidably mounted within said first tube adapted to engage the actuator to operate the valve and spaced from the wall thereof to define an annular chamber, said second tube defining a pair of aligned elongated slots, first pin means extending through aligned openings defined by said first tube and said elongated slots for limiting the longitudinal movement of the second tube relative to said first tube, second pin means longitudinally spaced from said first pin means and extending through aligned openings in said second tube, spring means disposed in the annular chamber and positioned to engage the second pin means to bias said second tube out of engagement with said valve actuator, bumper means adjustably mounted in the end of said second tube adapted to engage said valve, and a transversely extending handle secured to the upper portion of said second tube whereby the walking stick can be gripped and operated by an operator standing in an upright position.

References Cited by the Examiner FRED C. MATTERN, 111., Primary Examiner.

BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Examiner.

20 L. P. KESSLER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WALKING STICK FOR A FASTENING TOOL WHEREBY THE VALVE CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF THE TOOL CAN BE OPERATED FROM A REMOTE POSITION, SAID WALKING STICK INCLUDING A FIRST TUBE SECURED TO THE TOOL, A SECOND TUBE SLIDABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID FIRST TUBE, BUSHINGS SPACING SAID SECOND TUBE FROM THE WALL THEREOF TO DEFINE AN ANNULAR CHAMBER, SAID SECOND TUBE DEFINING A PAIR OF ALIGNED ELONGATED SLOTS, FIRST PIN MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH ALIGNED OPENINGS DEFINED BY SAID FIRST TUBE AND SAID ELONGATED SLOTS FOR LIMITING THE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF THE SECOND TUBE RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST TUBE, SECOND PIN MEANS LONGITUDINALLY SPACED FROM SAID FIRST PIN MEANS AND EXTENDING THROUGH ALIGNED OPENINGS IN SAID SECOND TUBE, SPRING MEANS DISPOSED IN THE ANNULAR CHAMBER AND IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SECOND PIN MEANS TO BIAS SAID SECOND TUBE OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID VALVE, BUMPER MEANS ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED IN THE END OF SAID SECOND TUBE AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID VALVE, AND A TRANSVERSELY 